MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Dallas Mavericks completed their
best season in 10 years. The Minnesota Timberwolves continue
the best season in franchise history.

Steve Nash had 22 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as the
Mavericks reached 40 wins for the first time in a decade with a
113-107 victory over the playoff-bound Timberwolves.

"Forty wins is nice," outgoing Mavericks coach Don Nelson said.
"We're the best team in basketball right now. Over the last two
months, nobody has played as well as us."

Michael Finley added 18 points for Dallas (40-42), which won 16
of its last 21 games and posted its best campaign since it went
47-35 in the 1989-90 season, the last time it made the playoffs.
The Mavs won more games this season than they won in 1997-98
(20) and 1998-99 (19) combined.

"It kind of makes the summer more bearable to know we finished
the season strong, to know we gave it everything we had in the
second half of the season," Nash said. "In the last 20 or 21
games, we were the second-best team in the league and that feels
good. But it still was for nothing."

The postseason is where the Timberwolves (50-32) are headed for
the fourth straight year. They have yet to win a playoff series
and as the sixth seed in the Western Conference draw powerful
Portland in the first round.

"We're focused as a team," Minnesota guard Malik Sealy said.
"It's the first taste of playoff action for some and others
haven't gotten past the first round. We want to beat Portland
but we've got to take it one game at a time."

"There is no question KG (Garnett) should be the most rested he
has been since we started the season, because the only time we
have had off since Japan is the All-Star break and he was doing
all kinds of stuff. He'll be well-rested. We will be
well-rested to go up against a really good basketball team."

Dallas trailed 87-82 entering the fourth quarter but Finley had
five points in a 10-0 surge. A three-point play by Erick
Strickland, who scored 17 points, gave the Mavs a 94-89 lead
with 7:24 remaining.

Jackson's basket tied it at 102-102 with 3:19 to play but rookie
Greg Buckner answered with a hoop and Nash hit a 3-pointer for a
107-102 lead with 2:30 left. It was at least a two-possession
game thereafter.